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Element 68 - Erbium (Er) sound

From Ytterby, Sweden; discovered 1843. Used in ceramics as erbium oxide to produce a pink glaze. Erbium, holmium, and dysprosium are almost identical in terms of their chemical and physical properties. They vary from each other only by one electron in their third inner orbit.

Properties

Atomic Number: 68
Atomic Weight: 167.26
Electron Configuration (at ground state): 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p64d104f125s25p66s2
Oxidation States (Bold most stable): +3
Boiling Point (K): 3140
Melting Point (K): 1802
Density (at 300K -- g/cm3): 9.07
Atomic Volume (at 300K -- cm3/mol) 18.4
Number of stable isotopes: 6
Covalent Radius (Å): 1.57
Atomic Radius (Å): 1.78
First Ionization Potential (V): 6.101
Electronegativity (Pauling's): 1.24
Specific Heat Capacity (at 300K -- J g-1 K-1): 0.168
Heat of Vaporization (kJ/mol): 292.88
Heat of Fusion (kJ/mol): 17.15
Electrical Conductivity (at 293K for polycrystalline material -- 106 (ohms)-1 cm-1): 1.2
Thermal Conductivity (at 300K -- W m-1 K-1): 14.3
Crystal Structure: Hexagonal
Acid-Base Properties: Slightly basic